During her visit to the March 7 Professional and Scientific Council meeting, President Wendy Wintersteen noted her Iowa State career began in an extension entomology staff position. She thanked council members for their individual work for the university in support of its teaching, research and extension missions, as well as their service to the council.
"We couldn't run the university without you," she said.
Her discussion with councilors focused primarily on two topics: Iowa State's 2022-31 strategic plan and work toward a university response, due next month, to the state Board of Regents' November directives regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs and services.
As announced Feb. 15 in Inside, the next call for funding proposals in the strategic plan has been paused, pending more information for salary increases and rising health care costs and their impact on university budgets. A third unknown is whether the 2024 Iowa Legislature will fund two requested increases to Iowa State's appropriations.
She noted the university, which self-funds the employee insurance plan, covers 88% of the cost of the plan; employee premiums pay the rest.
She said strategic plan proposals selected for funding during this fiscal year that outlined a second year of funding will still have that opportunity, and those teams have been contacted.
Wintersteen distributed a handout of the regents' 10 directives, noting 4a, 4b, 5, 7 and 10 already have resulted in changes to the regents' policy manual, and Faculty Senate leaders are addressing directive 6, an update to DEI-related general education categories.
While the university's implementation plan isn't final, Wintersteen said directive 2 gives Iowa State opportunity to continue programs at the division, college, department or unit levels that are available to all students or employees or meet compliance or accreditation requirements.
Discussions are ongoing for compliance with directive 1, which requires the three regent universities to eliminate central, universitywide DEI functions not necessary for compliance or accreditation.
Wintersteen noted a national search for the next Iowa State senior vice president for academic affairs is underway, with the goal of bringing finalists to campus in mid- to late April. Jonathan Wickert is stepping down as provost this summer and remaining on the mechanical engineering faculty. She said a search for the next senior vice president for operations and finance will be announced soon. Shawn Norman left the university in December, and associate vice president for finance services Heather Paris is serving as interim senior vice president.
Officers for 2024-25
Councilors elected these members to one-year officer positions, effective July 1:
- President elect: Jennifer Schroeder, finance service delivery (Birch team)
- Secretary/treasurer: Sara Everson, public safety
- Vice president for communications and community relations: Sarah Larkin, Graduate College (reelected)
- Vice president for compensation and benefits: Liz Luiken, dean of students office
- Vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion: Susan McNicholl, College of Engineering student services (reelected)
Current president Patrick Wall, agriculture and natural resources extension and outreach, Region 18, will move into the past president role on the council's executive committee and president-elect Jason Follett, software engineering, will serve as council president for 2024-25.
Other council business
Committee chairs shared these announcements:
- The annual P&S Council online election is scheduled for March 25-27. The nomination window was extended two weeks, through March 15, to recruit additional candidates in academic affairs, where 13 council terms expire this year. Across the four divisions, 20 seats will be filled in this spring's election.
- Including presenters and participants, 305 P&S employees attended the annual professional development conference for P&S employees Feb. 28, organized by the council's professional development committee.
- At a March 26 CYtation Awards breakfast ceremony, 48 P&S employees will be honored for their exemplary work. A future edition of Inside will announce those award recipients.
